Patents by Inventor Stephen Skala
Stephen Skala has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 8560919Abstract: A method in a data storage device with a memory includes receiving bit values to be stored at a set of cells of the memory and interleaving the received bit values to form multiple interleaved groups of data bits according to an adjustable parameter. The method also includes writing the multiple interleaved groups of data bits to the set of cells.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2011Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala, Jayaprakash Naradasi, Anand Venkitachalam
-
Publication number: 20130246878Abstract: A method may be performed at a data storage device that includes a memory and a controller. The method includes providing user data to a variable-bit error correction coding (ECC) encoder. The ECC encoder generates a first set of parity bits. A first number of parity bits in the first set of parity bits is determined based on stored counts of read errors. The method also includes storing the user data and the first set of parity bits to a memory of the data storage device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2012Publication date: September 19, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: DEEPAK PANCHOLI, MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, STEPHEN SKALA
-
Patent number: 8539313Abstract: A method includes, after data is stored at a data area of a memory device and error correction code (ECC) data corresponding to the data is stored at an ECC area corresponding to the data area, detecting a triggering condition. In response to detecting the triggering condition, the method also includes storing second ECC data in the ECC area, where the second ECC data includes redundant information for a first portion of the data area and storing third ECC data at the memory device. The third ECC data includes redundant information for a second portion of the data area.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2012Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
-
Publication number: 20130238955Abstract: A method includes initiating a first decode operation of data at an error correction code (ECC) hard bit decoder in a data storage device that includes a controller and a memory. The method further includes, in response to the first decode operation indicating that the data is uncorrectable by the first decode operation, identifying one or more bits of the data that correspond to a disturb condition test pattern, changing a value of the one or more identified bits of the data to generate modified data, and initiating a second decode operation at the ECC hard bit decoder using the modified data.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2012Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
-
Publication number: 20130223151Abstract: A method includes determining a programming step size for a word line of a memory in a data storage device. The programming step size is determined at least partially based on a count of memory elements of the word line to be programmed to a particular state.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 29, 2012Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, STEPHEN SKALA
-
Patent number: 8484542Abstract: A method in a data storage device receiving data including a data block and main error correction coding (ECC) data for the data block. The data block includes a first sub-block of data and a second sub-block of data. The method also includes initiating an ECC operation to process the data block using the main ECC data. In response to the ECC operation indicating uncorrectable errors in the data block, first additional ECC data that is external to the data block is retrieved and a second ECC operation is initiated to process the first sub-block of data using the first additional ECC data.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2011Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio d'Abreu, Stephen Skala
-
Publication number: 20130159766Abstract: A method of managing wear leveling in a data storage device includes determining whether a reliability measurement associated with a first portion of a first nonvolatile memory die satisfies a threshold. The first nonvolatile memory die is included in a plurality of memory dies. The method includes, in response to determining that the reliability measurement associated with the first portion of the first nonvolatile memory die satisfies the threshold, transferring first data from the first portion of the first nonvolatile memory die to a second nonvolatile memory die of the plurality of memory dies.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
-
Patent number: 8429468Abstract: In a particular embodiment, at a controller coupled to a memory array, a method includes receiving an indication that a first group of data bits read from the memory array includes errors that are uncorrectable by an error correction coding (ECC) engine. A count of the first group of data bits having a particular bit value may be compared to a prior count of data bits having the particular bit value. In response to determining that the count exceeds the prior count, a bit of the first group of data bits that has the particular bit value and that corresponds to a same memory cell as a corrected data bit of a second group of data bits is identified. A value of the identified bit of the first group may be changed to generate an adjusted group of data bits. The adjusted group of data bits may be provided to the ECC engine.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2010Date of Patent: April 23, 2013Assignee: SanDisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio d'Abreu, Stephen Skala, Carlos Joseph Gonzalez
-
Patent number: 8418026Abstract: A method in a memory device includes receiving data including a data block and main error correction coding (ECC) data for the data block. The data block includes a first sub-block of data and first ECC data corresponding to the first sub-block. An ECC operation is initiated to process the data block using the main ECC data. In response to the ECC operation indicating uncorrectable errors in the data, a first sub-block ECC operation is initiated to process the first sub-block of data using the first ECC data.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2010Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
-
Publication number: 20130073924Abstract: A data storage device includes a memory including a plurality of storage elements. The memory is configured to read a group of the storage elements using a first read voltage to obtain a first plurality of bit values. A controller is coupled to the memory. The controller is configured to initiate a first error correction code (ECC) procedure on the first plurality of bit values. In response to the first ECC procedure determining that the first plurality of bit values is not correctable, the controller is further configured to instruct the memory to read the group of the storage elements using a second read voltage to obtain a second plurality of bit values, and to change one or more values of the first plurality of bit values to corresponding values of the second plurality of bit values to generate a first plurality of corrected bit values.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2011Publication date: March 21, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
-
Publication number: 20130007349Abstract: An apparatus includes a first semiconductor device including a NAND flash memory core. The apparatus also includes a second semiconductor device including periphery circuitry associated with the NAND flash memory core.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, DEEPAK PANCHOLI
-
Publication number: 20130003480Abstract: An apparatus includes a first memory die including a first memory core, a second memory die including a second memory core, and a periphery die coupled to the first memory die and to the second memory die. The periphery die includes periphery circuitry corresponding to the first memory core and periphery circuitry corresponding to the second memory core. The periphery die is responsive to a memory controller and configured to initiate a first memory operation at the first memory core and a second memory operation at the second memory core.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, DEEPAK PANCHOLI
-
Publication number: 20130007350Abstract: An apparatus includes a first semiconductor device including a memory core. The apparatus also includes a second semiconductor device including periphery circuitry associated with the memory core. The second semiconductor device includes a second serializer/deserializer communication interface coupled to a first serializer/deserializer communication interface of a memory controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: SANDISK TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA, DIMITRIS PANTELAKIS, RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR, DEEPAK PANCHOLI
-
Patent number: 8341498Abstract: A method includes reading data from a data area of a word line and reading first ECC data from an ECC area of the word line. The method also includes, in response to determining that an error indicator exceeds a threshold, storing second ECC data in the ECC area. The second ECC data corresponds to a subsection of the data area.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
-
Patent number: 8321727Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that are responsive to a rate of change of a performance parameter of a memory. In a particular embodiment, a rate of change of a performance parameter of a non-volatile memory is determined. The rate of change is compared to a threshold, and an action is performed in response to determining that the rate of change satisfies the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2009Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala, Dana Lee
-
Publication number: 20120223721Abstract: A continuity test circuit for a boundary pad includes a pull-up transistor electrically connected between the boundary pad and a first power supply, and a pull-down transistor electrically connected between the boundary pad and a first reference ground potential. A normal output conductor is electrically connected to have a same electrical state as the boundary pad during normal operation. A continuity test output conductor is electrically connected to have a same electrical state as the boundary pad during continuity test operation. Continuity testing control circuitry is defined to control the pull-up transistor, the pull-down transistor, and the normal output conductor during continuity test operation such that an electrical state present on the continuity test output conductor indicates a status of electrical continuity between the boundary pad and either a second power supply or a second reference ground potential to which the boundary pad should be electrically connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2011Publication date: September 6, 2012Applicant: SanDisk Corp.Inventors: Baojing Liu, Aruna Gutta, Stephen Skala
-
Patent number: 8261136Abstract: A method and device for selectively refreshing a region of a non-volatile memory of a data storage device is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method is disclosed that includes comparing a time stamp received from a host device to a first time stamp retrieved from a data storage device for a first region of a non-volatile memory, the first region including a least recently accessed region of a memory array within the data storage device. The method also includes selectively refreshing the first region based on a comparison of a difference between the time stamp received from the host device and the first time stamp as compared to a threshold, where the threshold is adjusted based on a first error count corresponding to a number of errors detected by an error correction code (ECC) engine with respect to data retrieved from the first region.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2009Date of Patent: September 4, 2012Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
-
Patent number: 8255773Abstract: Systems and methods of tracking error data are disclosed. A method includes receiving a first checksum associated with error locations of a first error correction code operation and receiving a second checksum associated with error locations of a second error correction code operation. The first checksum is compared to the second checksum and an action is initiated on a region of a memory array based on a result of the comparison.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2009Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Sandisk Technologies Inc.Inventors: Manuel Antonio D'Abreu, Stephen Skala
-
Publication number: 20120204077Abstract: A method in a data storage device receiving data including a data block and main error correction coding (ECC) data for the data block. The data block includes a first sub-block of data and a second sub-block of data. The method also includes initiating an ECC operation to process the data block using the main ECC data. In response to the ECC operation indicating uncorrectable errors in the data block, first additional ECC data that is external to the data block is retrieved and a second ECC operation is initiated to process the first sub-block of data using the first additional ECC data.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2011Publication date: August 9, 2012Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATIONInventors: MANUEL ANTONIO D'ABREU, STEPHEN SKALA
-
Publication number: 20120110417Abstract: A method in a memory device includes receiving data including a data block and main error correction coding (ECC) data for the data block. The data block includes a first sub-block of data and first ECC data corresponding to the first sub-block. An ECC operation is initiated to process the data block using the main ECC data. In response to the ECC operation indicating uncorrectable errors in the data, a first sub-block ECC operation is initiated to process the first sub-block of data using the first ECC data.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2010Publication date: May 3, 2012Applicant: SANDISK CORPORATIONInventors: Manuel Antonio D' Abreu, Stephen Skala